{"id":88497,"date":"2023-08-02T20:56:48","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T03:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=88497"},"modified":"2023-11-04T01:17:54","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T08:17:54","slug":"what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Differential Gear Oil: Uses, Costs, and Other Related FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_3d0653-0f{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_3d0653-0f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_3d0653-0f qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-c2d53e  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-d675cc\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_8e5de8-72\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_8e5de8-72\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_8e5de8-72\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading_8e5de8-72 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_8e5de8-72\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also known as gear lube or gear oil, differential gear oil lubricates the metal components in your differential to prevent metal-to-metal friction and overheating.<\/li><li>Engine oil is different from gear oil. While gear oil is specifically engineered to lubricate and protect gear systems, engine or motor oil lubricates engine parts.<\/li><li>Most differentials can hold as much as three quarts, but exactly how much gear oil goes in a differential depends on your vehicle&rsquo;s exact make and model.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your vehicle&rsquo;s differential has a set of gears that allow your vehicle to turn at different speeds. To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-differential-symptoms-replacement-cost-faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"keep these gears from grinding\">keep these gears from grinding<\/a>, it relies on differential gear oil to keep the moving parts lubricated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Differential Gear Oil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Differential gear oil is found in your vehicle&rsquo;s axle housing. It is also called gear lube or gear oil. Its main purpose is to lubricate the metal components in your differential, including your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/differential-clutch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"clutch\">clutch<\/a> packs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/differential-gear-set\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"gears\">gears<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/differential-bearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"bearings\">bearings<\/a>. In a nutshell, a differential gear oil lubricates the part of your differential, and prevents metal-to-metal friction so that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/differential\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"differential\">differential<\/a> won&rsquo;t overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some differential gear oils are made of mineral oil, while others are made of synthetic fluid that&rsquo;s manufactured in a laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engine Oil vs. Gear Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Engine oil is different from gear oil. Gear oil is specially engineered to lubricate and protect gear systems. Engine or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/motor-oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"motor oil\">motor oil<\/a>, on the other hand, lubricates engine parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"engine oil and differential gear oil difference\" class=\"wp-image-88498\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/engine-oil-and-differential-gear-oil-difference.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>Engine oil is different from gear oil. Gear oil is specially engineered to lubricate and protect gear systems. Engine or motor oil, on the other hand, lubricates engine parts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gear oil is also much thicker compared to engine oil. Many modern vehicles require engine oil with a viscosity grade that&rsquo;s typically around 5W30 or 0W20. Gear oil, on the other hand, tends to have a higher viscosity. It&rsquo;s often in the range of 75W90 or higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Engine oil has additives that help reduce corrosion and improve fuel economy. This type of oil is made specifically for the engine&rsquo;s high running temperature. Meanwhile, gear oil is specifically designed to perform under high-pressure movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Many modern vehicles require engine oil with a viscosity grade that&rsquo;s typically around 5W30 or 0W20.<\/p><cite><em>&ndash;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/anthonyharlin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Gear Oil Goes In a Differential?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&rsquo;ll depend on your vehicle&rsquo;s exact make and model. Refer to your owner&rsquo;s manual for your vehicle&rsquo;s exact differential oil capacity. Most differentials can hold as much as three quarts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some differentials need to be supplied with a secondary additive called friction modifier. Make sure that you verify that information as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Often Should I Change My Differential Gear Oil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&rsquo;s recommended to change your differential gear oil every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. The procedure can differ depending on the specific vehicle that you own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some differentials, for example, will have a plug for draining the differential and another plug for filling it up. On some vehicles, you may need to remove the housing cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changing your differential gear oil is a tough and messy job. Also, gear oil has an awful smell. If you don&rsquo;t have the right tools for the job, it&rsquo;s best to ask a mechanic to do it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out these tutorial videos in case you need to replace your rear differential fluid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to replace the Rear Differential Fluid 2009-2014 Ford F150 &#128663;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1Eok0wxBfws?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to replace the Rear Differential Fluid 2009-2018 Dodge RAM 1500 &#128663;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NlGI9wgMGO0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I Drive My Vehicle Even If My Differential Gear Oil Level Is Low?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technically, you can still drive your vehicle even if it&rsquo;s low on gear oil. However, you&rsquo;ll damage your differential. Slowly, your gears will begin to grind and the metal shavings produced by friction will damage your differential and may cause it to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Will I Know If My Differential Gear Oil Level Is Low?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you hear a howling, growling, or grinding sound coming from your front or rear differential, it&rsquo;s time for a trip to an auto repair shop. If it isn&rsquo;t caused by low oil levels, something else might be causing the strange noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your gears aren&rsquo;t properly lubricated, you may also notice a burnt oil smell coming from the area where your differential is. You may also have difficulty shifting gears. In the worst cases, your differential will overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Does It Cost to Change Your Differential Gear Oil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expect to spend around $70 to $200 for a differential gear oil change. The exact cost will depend on your ride&rsquo;s year, make, and model. This excludes labor rates that apply in your area. You&rsquo;ll also have to consider the cost of related repairs. For example, a mechanic might have to install new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/differential-gasket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"gaskets\">gaskets<\/a> after changing your gear oil if your differential doesn&rsquo;t have a drain plug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Does it Cost to Repair Your Differential?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it&rsquo;s too late for a gear oil change, and your differential already failed, you&rsquo;ll have no choice but to replace it or have it rebuilt. This is a costly and complicated process. You&rsquo;ll most likely spend anywhere between $2000 and $4000 for the whole thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To avoid spending a lot of money on repairs, make sure that you change your gear oil on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting the Best Gear Oil for Your Differential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some of the things to consider when getting an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/gear-oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"aftermarket differential gear oil\">aftermarket differential gear oil<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GL Rating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A gear oil&rsquo;s GL rating will tell you how good it is at handling high-pressure and severe conditions. The higher the GL rating, the better the oil can handle high pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, this doesn&rsquo;t mean that your vehicle automatically needs gear oil with a high GL rating.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll have to consider the type of vehicle that you own and the type of gear installed in your engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Viscosity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You also have to consider the viscosity rating of the gear oil you&rsquo;re about to buy. On average, it should have a viscosity of 75\/90. Like engine oil, gear oil is also available in both conventional and synthetic formulations. For synthetic oil, some manufacturers recommend a 75W140 viscosity grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gear oil is usually thicker than engine oil. A thick oil can effectively lubricate and cushion all gears in the differential.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Your vehicle&rsquo;s differential has a set of gears that allow your vehicle to turn at different speeds. To keep these&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":88499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3757],"tags":[3074,3853,3852],"ppma_author":[2607,3742],"class_list":["post-88497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-diy","category-drivetrain","tag-differential","tag-differential-gear-set","tag-gear-oil","entry"],"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is Differential Gear Oil: Uses, Costs, and Other Related FAQs - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out what differential gear oil is and how important it is to the operation of your vehicle in this article.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is Differential Gear Oil: Uses, Costs, and Other Related FAQs - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out what differential gear oil is and how important it is to the operation of your vehicle in this article.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-03T03:56:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-11-04T08:17:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/changing-differential-gear-oil-procedure.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1333\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-is-differential-gear-oil-uses-costs-and-other-related-faqs\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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